Kim Hyo-joo finished in a tie for 7th place at the Ladies European Tour (LET) Aramco Korea Championship (total purse $2 million) after a strong closing-round charge, falling short of her quest for a third consecutive victory at the event.

World No. 4 Kim carded a 6-under-par 66 with seven birdies and one bogey in the fourth and final round of the Aramco Korea Championship held at New Korea Country Club (par 72) in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on October 11.

Ending with a final score of 13-under 275, Kim placed tied for 7th.

Having won the inaugural tournament in 2024 and successfully defended her title last year, Kim contended near the top of the leaderboard once again this season, but the trophy went to Miyu Yamashita of Japan, who finished at 22-under 266.

Kim's pursuit of her fifth victory of the season—having claimed titles at the LPGA's Founders Cup and Ford Championship in March, as well as KLPGA Tour events in May and July—was postponed to another day.

Starting the final round tied for 13th and six strokes behind leader Yamashita, Kim sparked her comeback with consecutive birdies on the 3rd (par 4) and 4th (par 3) holes.

On the 9th hole (par 4), she landed her second shot about two meters from the pin to pick up another birdie, turning in at 3-under with no bogeys.

Displaying precise iron shots, Kim picked up another stroke on the 11th hole (par 3) and continued her birdie streak on the 14th (par 4), 16th (par 4), and 17th (par 5) holes, narrowing the gap to three shots at one point.

However, Yamashita steadily shaved off strokes to firmly maintain her grip on the top of the leaderboard, leaving Kim with little room to turn the tide.

Kim recorded her only bogey of the day on the final 18th hole (par 4).

Yamashita, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, fired a course-record 9-under-par on the final day—including an eagle on the 17th hole (par 5)—to beat runner-up Sara Kouskova of the Czech Republic (19-under 269) by three strokes and claim the championship trophy.

The winner's prize is $300,000 (approx. 400 million won).

Yamashita, who won the AIG Women's Open—a major co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and LET—last year, secured her second LET title.

Though briefly pressured by Kouskova to within a single stroke in the middle of the round, Yamashita secured a comfortable victory with sharp iron play and steady putting to complete a flawless performance.

Tseng Ya-ni of Taiwan, a former world No. 1 who has recently shown a resurgence after a long slump, finished in 4th place at 16-under 272.

Former world No. 1 Park Sung-hyun shaved three strokes to tie for 14th at 10-under 278, while Lee Jung-eun (born in 1996) finished tied for 19th at 8-under 280, and amateur Kim Gyu-bin alongside Lee Jung-eun (born in 1988) tied for 36th at 5-under 283.

(Photo: Yonhap News)